The Little Things
by akakurogin
Summary: [ONESHOT] Yanagi signs on AIM. Attempts at humor ensues definition of friendship, really. Written for LJ comm fanfic100.


Title: The Little Things   
Rating: G/PG   
Characters: Starring Yanagi Renji. Featuring the rest of the Rikkai team.  
WC: 1693   
Challenge: fanfic100 021. Friends   
Disclaimer: not mine, cool? cool. 

-  
Yanagi logged onto instant messenger after finishing his math homework, figuring that he could get some chatting in before dinner. As soon as he signed on, a window popped up.

demonSpawn666: Senpai, I was wondering, what's Niou-senpai's biggest fear?

Already, Yanagi was wary of what the conversation could lead to. Kirihara wasn't exactly one to use this kind of information for good.

Master007: I'm not sure I ought to tell you.  
demonSpawn666: Aww, but I just wanted to get him a nice little birthday surprise!

Yanagi took a look at his calendar, and shook his head.

Master2007: Kirihara, Niou's birthday is still two months away.  
demonSpawn666: I know, but I need time to make a plan!

Just then, a chat room invitation opened on his computer, from Seiichi. He joined without hesitation.

You have just entered room "Rikkai Tennis"  
Master007: What's up?  
sei111: Hello Renji.  
AkuSokuZan: We were just discussing the lineup for finals.  
sei111: How do you feel about playing doubles?

Doubles, eh. He didn't mind playing doubles, but usually, he put himself there. The only reason Genichirou and Seiichi would ask him to play doubles was because they thought there was someone stronger for singles. He caught Kirihara's window blinking furiously and switched over to check what the second year had written.

demonSpawn666: I think Niou-senpai deserves a little of his own medicine, don't you think?

The only person who really deserved some of his own medicine, Yanagi thought, was Kirihara himself. At least Niou had never put anyone in a hospital. Niou didn't give him even half the amount of headaches that their junior ace did.

demonSpawn666: I mean, you must remember that time Niou screwed around with your notebooks!

Now, the kid did have a point there. No one messed with Yanagi Renji's notebooks - no one even looked at them without his permission. That rule, however, didn't stop Niou from replacing his notebook detailing Marui's progress with an almost identical book. The only difference was that the practice regimes were all extended just ever so much. Poor Marui had been so exhausted after practice the day afterwards that Yanagi had wondered for weeks if he was losing it.

demonSpawn666: Senpai? You there? Come on, answer me!  
Master007: No means no, Kirihara. I can't have you messing around with the third years, especially during the high school exam period.

He went back to the chat room. He still needed to give his captain and vice-captain an answer.

Master2007: Sorry about that; Kirihara's trying to get info to torment Niou.  
Master2007: I'll be OK with doubles, but who will be the sub?

He was surprised, and somewhat dismayed, at how quickly Genichirou and Seiichi responded. It was as if they'd already had the whole lineup planned out already.

sei111: Jackal.  
AkuSokuZan: Jackal.  
Master2007: So I will be playing with Marui, then?  
sei111: No, we were thinking of putting you with Yagyuu.  
Master2007: And leave Niou with Marui? Have you forgotten what happened last time they were on a court together?

There was no way any of them could've forgotten that. Niou and Marui had a ball with Yagyuu and Jackal. The two of them had flirted endlessly with their respective partners, causing even the usually immovable Yagyuu to blush furiously. At one point, Niou had even removed his shirt, claiming it was "too hot" to be playing with the uniform on. It was the most effective seal for the Laser that Yanagi had ever seen. As if that weren't enough, Jackal had almost fainted when Marui started making, well, suggestive sounds every time Jackal prepared to hit the ball.

AkuSokuZan: We all know they won't do that again. They wouldn't dare.

Typical Genichirou. Out of the corner of his eye, Yanagi noticed Marui's screen name popping up on his buddy list, and sure enough, within a few seconds, a new window opened on his screen.

sweet tennis: Hey Yanagi, I have a question.  
Master2007: Yes?

There was never a dull moment with the Rikkai tennis club, Yanagi thought. He checked back over at Kirihara's window, hoping the kid had decided to give up. He should've known better.

demonSpawn666: He won't be that traumatized! It'll help him relax!  
demonSpawn666: Come on, senpai, don't you want to see Niou scared out of his wits?  
demonSpawn666: err... or maybe not that scared.  
demonSpawn666: You could always tell me his second biggest fear!  
Master2007: You don't give up, do you, Akaya.

Marui's window was blinking already, so Yanagi glanced over at what he'd written.

sweet tennis: You know that new volley I've been trying?  
sweet tennis: I can't seem to get the spin right on it.  
sweet tennis: Is there any training I can do to get more spin on my slices?

He did indeed recall seeing Marui trying something new, but he hadn't been paying too much attention, as he'd been busy with Seiichi's rehab training.

Master2007: I can't help you with that right now.  
Master2007: If you talk to me at practice tomorrow, we can go over it.  
sweet tennis: OK, that'd be great. (o )(/ o)/ Yay the Master's helping me!  
Master2007: Heh, stop it, you'll give me a big head.

Yanagi smiled. Marui came up with the oddest, and yet cutest, emoticons he'd ever seen. He was definitely well suited to an artsy career. Quickly, he scanned over what Genichirou and Seiichi had typed while he was talking with the other two.

sei111: I actually wouldn't mind seeing that first hand.  
sei111: Niou's rendition of it sounded quite entertaining.  
AkuSokuZan: You should hear Yagyuu's side then.  
sei111: Why? Was he really upset?  
AkuSokuZan: He refused to speak with Niou for a week.  
sei111: Oh that's typical.  
sei111: It was happening even before they started dating.  
AkuSokuZan: So Yanagi? What do you think?  
Master2007: Well, then what exactly is the entire lineup you guys have in mind?  
sei111: We were actually waiting for you before deciding that. Do you have any idea what Seigaku's lineup might be?

Yanagi couldn't help but smile. He was still a part of their group, despite clearly being the weakest link. In a team though, that didn't matter. They all worked together, supporting and leaning against each other.

Master2007: I'd put my bet on D1: Fuji-Kikumaru, D2: Momoshiro-Kaidou.  
AkuSokuZan: No Oishi?  
sei111: Oh, I forgot to tell you.  
sei111: I saw him at the hospital today, when I went to get a checkup.  
sei111: His injured wrist can't handle a full match, so he's out for the rest of the year.  
AkuSokuZan: That's unfortunate.  
Master2007: For them, perhaps.

There was a pause. Yanagi wondered if Seiichi and Genichirou were thinking the same thing he was. The kind of injury Oishi Syuuchirou had could've happened to any of them. In fact, Seiichi almost couldn't play in finals, also. All of them shared the same dream, really - to win Nationals. Winning it their senior year would be particularly important, as it would cap off an impressive junior high career for the three of them. To be sidelined for the last match... it was a horrible thing to have happen.

sei111: So what do you think about our doubles teams then?  
Master2007: Probably D1: Niou-Marui, D2: Yagyuu-me.  
AkuSokuZan: I would've thought you and Yagyuu could better beat Fuji-Kikumaru. Wouldn't Marui and Kikumaru just duke it out with netplay?

Looking over at Kirihara's window, Yanagi burst out laughing. Kirihara, while almost the devil incarnate on the court, could also be the most loveable kouhai to have ever graced a senpai.

demonSpawn666: Nope! It's one of my best traits. (-)b Master2007: Unfortunately for you, I don't give up, either.

He quickly went back to answer Genichirou's question.

Master2007: Yes, but Marui's netplay is legendary - much better than Kikumaru's.  
Master2007: Besides, I'm not sure if Yagyuu or I could really handle Fuji.  
Master2007: Even if our doubles can't handle Fuji, their doubles won't be able to handle Niou, either.  
sei111: Then what about you versus Kaidou?

That hit a nerve. All of them had known what had happened. While he had stopped playing tennis with Inui Sadaharu all those years ago, their relations had never exactly ended. They had dated for a while, before Inui had started growing distant and eventually broke it off. It wasn't too long after that Yanagi had caught Inui on a date with one of his own underclassmen. He would later learn that individual's name was Kaidou Kaoru, one of the two second-year Regulars on this year's Seigaku team. Even though he had gotten over Inui by now, some bitterness definitely still lingered.

Master2007: It will be OK.  
AkuSokuZan: You think Yagyuu's Laser can take care of that Snake, don't you.  
Master2007: I do, in fact.  
sei111: All right. Then, onto singles.  
Master2007: Isn't it obvious? They'll have Tezuka, Echizen and Inui in their lineup.  
Master2007: Besides, you guys couldn't possibly be thinking of a lineup other than Seiichi, Genichirou and Kirihara.

Speaking of Kirihara, he looked back over at the blinking window. Kirihara may be cute, but he certainly never gave up.

demonSpawn666: My mom's calling me for dinner now, so I'll talk to you later.  
demonSpawn666: I'll find out Niou's weak point somehow though.  
demonSpawn666: Just you wait, it will be great.

He laughed. Kirihara sure was a persistent kid, but he probably wouldn't triumph this time. It wasn't like Niou was afraid of anything small - Kirihara's innocence probably couldn't even handle it, were he to find out. Just then, his own mother called him for dinner.

sei111: I actually kind of want to play that Echizen kid. He seems interesting.  
sei111: And I also want to see Kirihara against Tezuka. We've got an interesting kid on our own team, after all.  
AkuSokuZan: Seiichi.  
Master2007: Sorry, but I've got to run, it's dinnertime.  
sei111: OK, see you tomorrow. We can go over singles then.  
AkuSokuZan: Bye.  
Master2007: Bye.

Yanagi signed off, and logged off the internet, before going out to the dining room. He wondered what the next day - indeed, what the next several weeks - would bring. Life was never dull with his friends; that much was for certain.

-  
Note: Aku Soku Zan is Saitou Hajime's catchphrase from Rurouni Kenshin. It basically means "kill evil instantly." I thought it fit Sanada.

So while I don't type like that on AIM myself, given that this is a fic, I still preferred to use proper spelling and grammar. .; Hope that doesn't detract from the story too much.  
This fic is me failing at humor. Oh well, it was fun to write. P Thanks to zerotwofan for helping me get a jump start on this fic.

Comments, errors, suggestions for future fics, and yes, even "wth are you doing; go back to your usual stuff" are all welcome.


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